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Sukiennice and Main Market Square as seen from St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow, Poland. Photo by Jorge Lascar-

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square

The square is a main urban space located in the city center of Krakow; it’s also known as the main square. Its establishment dates to the 13th century and is the largest medieval town square in Europe, with 3.79 hectares.

Many historic churches and townhouses surround the square. It was listed as the best public space in Europe due to its lively street life by the Project Public Spaces.

Learn more about Krakow’s Rynek Glowny Central Square in these top 10 amazing facts.

1. The Krakow Rynek Glowny Central Square Date to the 13th Century

The square was established in the 13th century, and its main function was commerce. Its commercial role was enlarged with the Magdeburg rights location of the city by the prince of Krakow, Boleslaw V the Chaste.

Initially, the square was filled with low market stalls and administrative buildings with a ring road.

The square was designed to its current state, with each side repeating a pattern of three evenly spaced streets set at right angles to the square. The exception is Grodzka Street which is much older.

2. Many Historical Events Happened at the Square

The Main Square (Polish: Rynek Główny w Krakowie). Photo by Jorge Láscar-

The Rynek Glowny was used to stage the public execution of prisoners held in the city’s Town Hall. It also used to be a place of regal ceremonies, frequented by diplomats and dignitaries travelling to the castle.

In 1346 King Casimir held the Pan-European Congress of Krakow there, Lithuanian duke Konstanty Ostrogski held a victory parade over the Muscovy in 1514 and Jan III Sobieski celebrated his victory over the Turkish Empire in the 1683 Battle in Vienna here.

3. The Center of the Square is Dominated by the Cloth Hall

The Cloth Hall is one of the square’s landmarks. It was initially designed in the 14th century as a center for cloth trade.

In 1555, the Cloth Hall was damaged by fire and rebuilt the same year. It was built in Renaissance style by Giovani il Mosca topped by a beautiful attic or Polish parapet decorated with carved masks.

The hall has hosted many highly respected guests over the centuries. It is still used to entertain dignitaries such as Emperor Akihito of Japan and Charles Prince of Wales, who were welcomed there in 2002.

The ground floor of the Cloth Hall is still used for commerce with its many souvenir shops and cafes, the upstairs houses the Gallery of the National Museum.

4. The Square Doesn’t Have a Town Hall

One of the oddest peculiarities about Rynek Glowny Central Square is that there is no town hall here. This is so rare in most cities in Poland, where the town hall forms arguably the most significant building and focal point of a Square.

There used to be a town hall built by King Casimir III the Great, but it did not survive to the present day. The town hall was demolished in 1820 with only a tower left standing.

5. The Free-Standing Town Hall Tower is Found Behind the Square

Town Hall Tower in Kraków (Poland). Photo by Lestat-

The town hall tower is one of the square’s main focal points and is the only remaining part of the old Krakow Town Hall, demolished in 1820 as a part of the city plan to open up the Main Square.

Its cellars once housed a city prison with a medieval torture chamber. From the tower’s highest floor, visitors can admire a spectacular panoramic view of Krakow.

In the middle of the deck of the tower, there is an old clock mechanism that visitors have the opportunity to examine from inside. The clock is controlled by radio waves receiving the signal from the transmitter in Mainfligen.

6. The Square is Surrounded by Old Brick Buildings

The Krakow Rynek Glowny square is surrounded by old brick buildings and palaces, almost all of them several centuries old.

Over time, most buildings have acquired a neoclassical look, but the basic structures are older and can be seen in their doorways, architectural details and interior.

Many medieval cellars of the buildings are used as pubs, lounges and restaurants. One of the most famous is Pod Palma at Krzysztofory Palace. 

Another famous oldest restaurant is Wierzynek remembered for its great feast of 1364, which lasted for 21 days and helped to reach a consensus among the monarchs of Europe.

7. The Square is home to Adam Mickiewicz Monument

Adam Mickiewicz Monument is one of the best-known bronze monuments in Poland. It is the favorite meeting place at Rynek Glowny Square.

The monument was destroyed by the Nazis during the German Invasion of Poland and was not to be seen in the square until 1955, when it was restored back.

Most of the monument restoration figures were recovered from a Hamburg scarp metal heap in 1946, allowing the restoration of the Monument’s original appearance.

The monument is decorated with flowers by the florist of Krakow every year on Christmas Eve. 

8. The Towers of the St. Mary’s Basilica Rise Above the Square

Horse carriages and Saint Mary Basilica at Old Town Market Square in Kraków. Photo by Maksym Kozlenko-

St. Mary Basilica is a brick gothic church adjacent to the Rynek Glowny Central square in Krakow, Poland. 

The church’s foundation dated to the 13th century and was built in the 14th century. In 1978 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Historic Center of Krakow.

The church serves as the best example of Polish Gothic architecture. It stands 80 meters tall, with two gothic towers rising above the square. After touring the tower, you can visit the church and explore its magnificent beauty.

9. The Church of St. Adalbert is Found Here

The church is situated at the intersection of the square and Grodzka street in Old Town, Krakow. It is one of the oldest stone churches in Poland. 

There is a Theatre Maszkaron and a small archeological museum in the church’s basement.

10. Nowadays, the Square is Used to Hold Various Events

The Project for Public Spaces selected Krakow’s Rynek Glowny as the World’s Best Square in December 2015. The square is a point of many public events and festivals, such as the Festival of Military Bands, the annual Krakow szopka and the largest New Year’s Eve party in Poland.

The Adam Mickiewicz Monument is decorated with flowers by the florist of Krakow every year on Christmas eve. The Krakow culture is deeply rooted in colorful tradition, with the square remaining lively and crowded year-round.